Just a little beauty for you on this gray, rainy, cheery day! I love rainy days! Just call me Lily Munster! Haha. Rainy days make me want to buckle down and get my work done quickly, so that I can kick back with a yarn project and either knit or crochet!
You may remember that two years ago, I learned to crochet (super beginner style) via youtube. Haha! I crocheted long, looong strips of well....I don't know what. I was just crocheting, for the fun of crocheting, not making anything specific. But I practiced and practiced those basic stitches with cruddy old yarn that had been sitting in the closet for years from some long-forgotten crafty project of days gone by. Actually, I think it was leftover from an attempt to make pom-poms for our suitcases, that went awry. Why I felt the need to put a pom-pom on Bartley's suitcase, I can not tell you. Haaaa.
So that was two winters ago and then last winter, my dear friend Katie taught me how to knit. So I knitted and knitted and knitted, again super beginner style, just making cowls so that I could practice those basic stitches again and again and again. I wore one cowl or another every day for like 4 months straight. And I think half of the people on our list got a cowl for Christmas last year. :)
So this year, with fall knocking on our door, my yarn stash has been calling my name quite loudly and I couldn't wait to bust into a new project! (Never mind that it was still 95 degrees outside!) And side note: You KNOW I have a yarn stash now because let's face it, half the fun of crafting is collecting supplies. Can I get an Amen?!
Again, I turned to youtube and again, I got myself some cheap yarn to practice with (but this time, in much more desirable colors than what was left in the closet from yesteryear!) and I went to town learning to crochet a flower. And guess what? I made a flower! And then I made another. And another. I think I've made 6 or 7 now and I've gotten to where I can follow the pattern I wrote out (!) instead of having to listen to the youtube video every single time. Progress!
After the flowers, I decided to attempt crocheting a coaster. Hmm. Well, I made one, although "wonky coaster" might be a slightly more accurate term. But that's ok, because you know what? I'm gonna keep practicing and one day, maybe everyone on our list will get a lovely set of (not wonky) coasters for Christmas!
In the meantime, I'm doing a bit of knitting too! I found the pattern for the Gap-tastic cowl on ravelry (I'm sure you can probably find this on Pinterest too) and I'm using that brown tweed in the photo above! But this time I'm using CIRCULAR knitting needles! Ooooh....ahhhhh.... are you impressed? Haha! I feel very fancy using circular needles! I'll let you know how it goes. (You can always follow along on all my progress on instagram or twitter! Oh, you can also see a picture of my wonky coaster! Ha!) I'm about to start on my third skein of yarn on this cowl....gonna be a big ole cowl, just the way I like 'em. :)
Man, did I mention that it's rainy and GRAY here today? Makes me want to go knit something....
Happy Tuesday, dearies...
